Notes from the media landscape: new OOH planning software; and will engagement trump frequency?
Competitors VNU (owner of Nielsen Media Research) and Arbitron have joined forces on new outdoor media planning software called Outdoor Navigator. The software was developed by IMS, a VNU subsidiary and the largest supplier of media planning software to the ad industry. VNU and Arbitron are still considering their own outdoor media measurement plans. The two companies have a complex relationship of competition and co-operation. They have most notably worked together on Apollo, a project to develop a single-source media and marketing measurement system; as well, NMR has supported Arbitron’s efforts to expand portable people meters. Meanwhile, Arbitron has bowed out of its competition with NMR to develop global positioning satellite technology for use in outdoor audience measurement.
In other measurement news, a task force comprised of members of the Association of National Advertisers, American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Advertising Research Foundation are pushing an initiative that replaces frequency (number of ad exposures) with engagement, a way to measure (they hope) how the public is consuming mass media choices such as cellphones, the Internet, video games and podcasts. The first step? Defining what ‘engagement’ is. The committee is also proposing a large-scale research project to validate ‘engagement’ as a planning, tracking and ROI metric. The initiative, cheekily called MI4, was intro’d at an ANA conference on marketing accountability last week.
Rogers puts a headlock on round-the-clock wrestling
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is joining the Rogers Digital Cable lineup. The new, video-on-demand channel WWE 24/7 will air fare such as Extreme Championship Wrestling and Old School, among many others. The service, available now, can be found on channel 400 for $9.95 per month.
BBM Media Snapshot: Heavy consumers of sports energy drinks
* 1.3 million Canadians (5%) are heavy consumers of sports energy drinks (at least once per week).
* 43% of heavy consumers are under 24 years of age.
* They are predominantly male (71%).
* BC stands out as the region with the highest incidence of sports energy drink consumers (1.4 times more than the national average).
* Their top activities are hiking (61%), swimming (61%), home exercising (58%), and cycling (55%).
* 21% are members of a health club (1.4 times more than the national average).
* Among their top purchases during the last two years are: a car stereo (1.7 times more than the national average), console video system (1.7 times more than national average), motorcycle (1.5 times more than the national average), and a MP3 player (1.5 times more than the national average).
* Compared to national averages, heavy consumers of sports energy drinks are twice as likely to have piercings and 1.8 times more likely to have a tattoo.
* In terms of yesterday’s exposure, the top three media for Canadians who are heavy consumers of sports energy drinks are: TV (86%), radio (82%) and the Internet (64%).
* Movies (76%) and hockey when available (58%) are their top TV program types watched in an average week. However, their preference for sports stands out from the average. They watched 2.2 times more basketball, 1.9 times more NFL, 1.7 times more golf, and 1.5 times more auto racing.
Source: BBM RTS Canada Fall ’04/Spring ’04
The preceding information is from BBM RTS, a syndicated consumer-media survey of over 60,000 Canadians, conducted twice a year by BBM Canada. For more information contact Craig Dorning of BBM Canada: cdorning@bbm.ca.
New Life this fall
Alliance Atlantis’s Life Network is preeming three series this fall in a battle for viewers interested in lifestyle fare. First up is Martha, featuring Emmy Award winner Martha Stewart in a new hour-long daytime syndicated talk show. Stewart has teamed with Survivor‘s Mark Burnett to produce this offering, which will be filmed with a studio audience and feature celebrity guests and segments on entertaining and decorating. The show airs weekdays at 10 a.m., beginning Sept. 12.
Renovate My Wardrobe (Sundays at 8:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 9) brings together an image consultant and closet organizer to analyze an individual’s lifestyle and body type. They get a new wardrobe and a new dream closet to put it in. Meanwhile, The Mom Show should tap into the yummy mummy phenom weekdays at 2 p.m., beginning Oct. 3. The program offers advice on everything from parenting concerns to keeping the spark with your partner alive. Experts are on hand to field calls from viewers. Life reaches 5.6 million households with 55% of viewers adults 18-49 and 53% adults 25-54, skewing 62% female, according to Nielsen Media Research.
A new program Showcase
AAB’s specialist in ‘Television Without Borders,’ Showcase continues its edgy programming with a batch of quirky new offerings. Six-parter The Grid targets terrorism and stars Dylan McDermott (The Practice)and Julianna Margulies (ER). The show preems Aug. 31 and runs Wednesdays at 10 p.m.
State of Play has an ambitious MP stunned when his research assistant and lover dies mysteriously in London’s underground. The thriller begins Sept. 3 and airs Saturdays at 5 p.m.
It’s Me…Gerald finds a documentary crew following the exploits of an unsuccessful-but-determined Canadian director, Gerald L’Ecuyer. A Showcase original series, the six eps start Sept. 4 and run Sundays at 9:30 p.m.
Showcase has picked up the Showtime cult hit Dead Like Me in which a group of dead people get afterlife jobs as Grim Reapers. Airs Mondays at 10 p.m., beginning Oct. 3.
And Weeds finds a suburban mom battling financial woes by becoming a pot dealer. The Showtime pickup will air Wednesdays at 10 p.m., beginning Oct. 12.
Showcase scores well against adults 18-49 and 25-54, with a slight male skew. It reaches 6.2 million subscriber households, according to Nielsen Media Research.
D-List hits Toronto1
Comic Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) heads up her own reality show with Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. The new hour-long, six-episode program hits Toronto1 beginning Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 9 p.m. and targets women 25-54.
Neslund heads for the windy city
Mindshare North America, a division of MindShare Worldwide has nabbed Scott Neslund as managing director of MindShare Chicago. Neslund was most recently president of StarLink Worldwide, a media agency under the Starcom MediaVest Group umbrella. Formerly, he was managing director of SMG Canada.
PMB Factoid
In-line skating, by city
Analysis: Media buyers weigh in on fall TV primetime winners: Thursday nights
This is the fourth in a five-part series (Part one: MIC June 30/05) that asks broadcast pundits’ opinions on who’s in, who’s out and who doesn’t stand a chance during the most coveted – and competitive – weeknight timeslots of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Go to www.mediaincanada.com and click on ‘TV Programming Grids’ for visual aids.
‘First of all, as an overall theme for Thursday night, I just want to say that there’s a wealth of strong returning entries,’ says Theresa Treutler, SVP media at Toronto-based Doner. ‘It’s a very tough slot for new properties.’
Seems the networks aren’t messing with a formula that works. For 8 p.m., everyone agrees on the winner.
More marketing dollars suggest stronger economy, survey says
The Institute of Communications and Advertising (ICA) survey of marketing budgets revealed its highlights yesterday. The report suggests that marketing budgets were boosted in Q2 as companies felt more confidence in the economy. There was an overall increase of marketing dollars allocated as a result of solid sales and profits and improved expectations. The biggest gains were found in consumer-oriented sectors, specifically consumer durables, consumer packaged goods, travel and entertainment and retail. The public sector, media and financial services sectors also noticed an upward trend.
The confident outlook in marketing indicated an increase in budgets for media advertising – the biggest since the survey began two years ago. Other winners in the marketing spend category include sales promotions and the Internet, with the latter showing the strongest, most consistent rate of growth. On the down swing are direct marketing budgets and ‘all other’ marketing including PR, market research, corporate communications and sponsorship. The survey is published quarterly and conducted by NTC Research, a global research firm. The info is compiled from a panel of 270 Canadian senior marketing execs.
The buzz on American teen snacking
New York-based BuzzBack Market Research unveiled highlights from its annual Teen Health & Nutrition Survey this week. The survey revealed that teens 13-19 consume an average of three snacks per day. Females skip more meals than males.
Top snack choices for this age bracket include: potato or tortilla chips (43%), cookies (35%) and fresh fruit (32%). The study also showed that 69% of teens have tried a new snack product in the past year with males more likely to try a new food or bevvie based on packaging and advertising. Gals, on the other hand, were more impressed by fewer calories and sugar-free/low-carb options.
http://www.buzzback.com
Yokohama, Fix Auto get shotgun on new show
War of the Wheels, an hour-long series aimed at males 18-45 is currently in production. The premise? Take two teams of four people. Hand ’em two identical old cars, give ’em three days, $12,000 and the challenge to morph the oldies into race cars. Then pit the cars against each other in a race. The show is slated to air in November on Global and Prime and the cars will be auctioned off afterwards.
Jim Erickson, executive producer for Breakthrough Films & Television, says collision and paint chain Fix Auto, paint giant Sherwin Williams and tire manufacturer Yokohama are just some of the brands featured on the show. Deals were done client-direct. War of the Wheels is shopping for sponsors now.
Changes at CHUM
A few changes are afoot under the CHUM banner. Citytv Toronto’s news franchise CityPulse News is being rebranded as CityNews, effective Tuesday, Aug. 2. The channel is promising a ‘refreshed’ look and style for City News at Noon, CityNews at 6 and CityNews Tonight with new graphics, newsroom design and a refined show format. The shows will continue their mandate to be local and urban-oriented, although viewers will continue to receive national and international headlines, with feeds from CHUM stations across the country.
In other CHUM news, Aug. 2 is also the day that, as previously publicized, The New VR rebrands as A-Channel while stations A-Channel Edmonton, A-Channel Calgary and A-Channel Manitoba will be rebranded as Citytv stations.
House Wars
HGTV is in da house
Just when you thought there could be no more permutations on the popular interior design show genre, think again. HGTV has swatches of new shows, beginning in October. The net’s aud breaks down to a 68% female skew with primary demos adults 25-54 and women 25-54. Forty-four percent of the viewership has a household income $75M+. (Figures courtesy Nielsen Media Research, average minute audience, adults 18+, 10/04/04 – 05/01/05.)
Home to Stay should lure all those Home to Go fans as popular host Peter Fallico turns his talents to helping first-time home buyers make the most of their new properties and increase their resale values in the process. The show airs Mondays at 8 p.m., beginning Oct. 3.
Design Match gives rival teams two days to create a budget version of a high-end inspiration room. The fun starts Monday, Oct. 3 at 8:30 p.m.
Weeknights beginning Oct. 3 at 6 p.m., Design to Win turns decorating into a game show, with three contestants vying to answer design-oriented questions. It’s a bit of a stretch, but okay.
redesign, Tuesdays at 9 p.m., beginning Oct. 4, finds host Kenneth Brown turning mundane living spaces into dream rooms. Meanwhile, at 9:30 p.m. OPENING SOON: By Design follows disparate people through the process of designing and opening new stores.
Heading on to Wednesday, What You Get for the Money asks the rather impertinent question: ‘How much did that cost?’ as the show looks at everything from condos to country houses. Airs at 9 p.m., beginning Oct. 5.
Restaurant Makeover challenges two eatery industry mavens to overhaul a struggling restaurant. Chefs with big egos. Sounds like a recipe for fireworks. The show airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 6.
Last but certainly not least, crafters turn ugly in Craft Corner Death Match. Say good-bye to the halcyon days of the neighbourly quilting bee. This show pits contestants against each other, the clock and the imposing Craft Lady of Steel. A ‘bloodthirsty’ studio audience eggs them on. (Who knew glue guns could actually kill?) The wooly warriors head into battle Friday, Oct. 7 at 9 p.m.
W Network expands design offerings
Meanwhile, W has also picked up a slew of new house-related properties for fall. For clean freaks, How Clean is your House? brings together a cleaning expert and bacterial specialist. The half-hour show airs Monday to Wednesday, beginning Sept. 5.
Companion shows the half-hour House Doctor: A-Z of Design and the hour-long House Doctor: Designs for Living brings House Doctor Ann Maurice back to screens this September. The 16-part A-Z takes viewers on an alphabetical journey through design. It airs Thursdays beginning Sept. 8. Meanwhile, Designs for Living airs Sundays at 9, beginning Sept. 11.
Finally, Save Us From Our House! brings a relationship strategist, a contractor and designers together to rescue suffering homeowners. The half-hour program airs weekly, beginning Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9:30.
And in a much-needed respite from design shows, Between the Sheets with Rebecca Rosenblat features stories about single or coupled Canucks exploring their sexuality. The half-hour program begins Sunday, Sept. 11 at 11 p.m.
CMT wrangles new series for fall
CMT, Canada’s country entertainment specialty, is offering new programming this fall ranging from music to sitcoms.
The Wilkinson’s – House Raising, is a ‘fictionalized reality’ series which follows a musical family as they move from Nashville to a small town in Canada (air time TBA). Another entry is CMT Star, which gets up close and personal with country’s stars to examine their passions and pastimes. Both series are part of CMT’s 220 annual hours of original programming.
Also new to CMT this fall are dramedy Ed, about a lawyer who returns to his hometown (weeknights at 8 p.m.) and the venerable sitcom Roseanne (weeknights at 9:30 p.m.) CMT reaches eight million households and specializes in family-friendly programming, having broadened out from its origins as a music video channel.
http://www.corusent.com/fall/cmt_fall.html
